SunshineCoastRegionalReport2ndQtr2004

REGIONAL OVERVIEW
NOOSA SHIRE


POPULATION
       No                                            Estimated Resident Population
70,000
                                                                        Noosa Shire                                                                   The population of Noosa Shire expanded, on average, by 3.3% per annum
                                                                                                                                                      between 1998 and 2003 to an estimated 46,461 persons. This growth rate
60,000
                                                                                                                                                      was well above the Queensland average of 1.9% over the same period. The
50,000                                                                                                                                                highest population growth over the past five years was recorded in Noosa-
                                                                                                                                                      Noosaville (3.9%) and Tewantin (3.9%), while Sunshine Peregian (1.7%)
40,000
                                                                                                                                                      recorded the smallest population growth over the same period. Over the
30,000                                                                                                                                                period through to 2026, Noosa Shire’s population is expected to experience
20,000
                                                                                                                                                      average population growth of 1.1% (lower than that forecast for the State of
                                                                                                                                                      1.5%), with the population reaching 59,847 persons in 2026.
10,000


                               0                                                                                                                      Trend unemployment continued to be high in the Noosa Shire at 9.5% in the
                                    1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2006 2011 2016 2021 2026
                                                                                                                                                      March Quarter 2004, although this rate has decreased over the past year
                                                                                                                                                      (down by 0.4 percentage points).
DWELLING INVESTMENT
                                                 Annual Growth in Dwelling Approvals
                                                                        Noosa Shire LGA
                             150                                                                                                         500
                                                New Houses (LHS)         Total Dw ellings (LHS)            Other Dw elling Units (RHS)                In annual terms, total residential building approvals in Noosa Shire were
                             100
                                                                                                                                         400          12.3% lower when compared with the June Quarter 2003. Again, the
annual % change, quarterly




                                                                                                                                                      reduction in other dwelling approvals drove the fall, offsetting a 32.4%
                                                                                                                                         300
                             50                                                                                                                       increase in new house approvals.
                                                                                                                                         200

                              0
                                                                                                                                         100

                             -50
                                                                                                                                         0


                      -100                                                                                                             -100
                         Jun-01                  Dec-01        Jun-02         Dec-02              Jun-03         Dec-03           Jun-04




PROPERTY MARKET
                                                          Median House Prices - Noosa
                                                                   % Growth 1997/98 - 2002/03
                                                                                                                                                      The median value of house prices in Noosa was 3.2% lower in the March
                                     Cooran                                                                                                           Quarter 2004 at $418,750 when compared to the December Quarter 2003.
                             Noosa Heads
                                    Pomona
                                                                                                                                                      Sunshine Beach recorded the highest median house sale value at $818,400,
                                     Cooroy^                                                                                                          despite only recording an increase in sales value of 1.3% over the quarter.
             Sunshine Beach
                                    Pomona^
                                                                                                                                                      Large properties in the Cooroy region recorded strong growth in median
                                      Cooroy                                                                                                          sales prices, experiencing growth of 32.5% in the quarter. The number of
                               Noosa LGA
                             Marcus Beach
                                                                                                                                                      house sales increased from 161 in the December Quarter 2003 to be at 184 in
                                   Noosaville                                                                                                         the March Quarter 2004.
                                   Tewantin
                    Peregian Beach
                             Sunrise Beach                                                                                                            Median house prices in Sunrise Beach and Peregian Beach recorded the
                                                0%       20%   40%      60%      80%      100%       120%      140%      160%      180%      200%     most significant growth between the year ended March 1999 and the year
                                                                                                                                                      ended March 2004, although all areas recorded growth of over 80%.
TOURISM
                                                     Hotel and Motel Occupancy Rates
 Annual % Change
                                                                    Noosa Tourism Region
100
                                                                                  Noosa Hill / Hasting Street
                                                                                                                                                      Within the Noosa Shire, the highest occupancy rate for the month of June
      90
                                                                                  Noosa Sound / Noosaville
                                                                                  Noosa Southern Beaches                                              2004 was recorded in Noosa Sound/Noosaville (50.0%), while the Southern
                                                                                                                                                      Beaches area recorded an occupancy rate of 46.2% and the Noosa Hill/
      80
                                                                                                                                                      Hasting Street area recorded an occupancy rate of 44.2%. Compared to June
      70                                                                                                                                              2003, both the Southern Beaches area and the Noosa Hill/ Hasting Street
                                                                                                                                                      area experienced an increase in occupancy rates of 6.0 and 6.5 percentage
      60
                                                                                                                                                      points, respectively.
      50


      40


      30
       Jun-02                                   Oct-02         Feb-03            Jun-03              Oct-03             Feb-04               Jun-04




©0, Sunshine Coast Regional Economy, Second Quarter 2004                                                                                                                                                                  - 11 -